Top Democrat: The FBI helped Trump with its email announcement

A top Democrat questioned the FBI’s announcement on Friday that it was
reviewing new emails “pertinent” to the probe into Hillary
Clinton’s emails, contending it “played right into the political
campaign of Donald Trump.”

Sen. Dianne Feinstein, a ranking member of the Senate
Intelligence Committee, said she was “shocked” to read the short
letter FBI Director James Comey wrote to congressional
leaders to notify members that the agency was examining new
emails.

“This is particularly troubling since so many questions are
unanswered,” Feinstein said in a statement. “It’s unclear whether
these emails have already been reviewed or if Secretary Clinton
sent or received them. In fact, we don’t even know if the FBI has
these emails in its possession.”

Feinstein continued: “Without knowing how many emails are
involved, who wrote them, when they were written or their subject
matter, it’s impossible to make any informed judgment on this
development.”

The Democratic senator noted Trump was “already using the letter
for political purposes” with just under two weeks remaining until
the election.

“Director Comey admits 'the FBI cannot yet assess whether or not
this material may be significant.' He cannot predict how long the
investigation will take. And we don’t know if the FBI has these
emails in hand,” she said.

Feinstein concluded: “It’s too bad Director Comey didn’t take
those gaping holes into consideration when he decided to send
this letter. The FBI has a history of extreme caution near
Election Day so as not to influence the results. Today’s break
from that tradition is appalling.”